Coin-operated signaling device.



G. H. DAVIS.

COIN OPERATED SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. I9Io.

1,150,254. i Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

illill Mfg/W 2 L G. H. DAVIS.

ACOIN OVPERATED SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1910.

1,1 50,254. A Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' i take any other smallerY sized coin. -The GEORGE H. DAVIS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

coIN-ornRA'rEn sIGNALINer DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. i7, i915.

Application filed March 5, 1910. Serial No. 547,530. e

T0 alli whom it may concern.'

` Be it known that I, GEORGE H. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Coin-Operated Signaling Device, of which the following is a specification.

The objectof this invention is to provide a new and improved coin operated signaling device which, while adapted for other uses, is especially adapted for use in connection with a telephone. Y

The coin operated signaling devices now employed with telephones usually havey a different receiving slot for each coin; that is, a receiving slot `for a twenty-ive cent piece, a receiving slot for a ten Y cent piece, and a receiving slot for ,afive cent piece. AgreatV deal of confusion occurs in connection with thisdevice by thewusei` put,- ting the wrong coin in a slot; that is, the user is apt to put a ve or ten cent piece in the twenty-ive cent slot,.or a ten cent piece in the twenty-five cent slot. This does not properly operate the signal and in some in-A stances clogs the device. y

The object of my invention is to overcome this diiliculty. To do this'l arrange the device so as Vto have a single slot adapted for receiving the different sized coins and combine a selecting device which will select and differently direct the. coinof different sizes, and a plurality of signaling devices there-V with, so that coins of differentsizes maybe inserted in the same slot and each particular coin will be directed to 'operate its particu'- lar' signaling device. In theY preferred formof the device, the coins Vare received from the single slot in a run-way which has switching devices coperating therewith, whereby the different. sized coins will be selected and differently directed, and a `plu; rality of chutes is arranged inV connection with the run-way and switching devices to receive the, differently directed coins, and signaling devices are arranged for cop-4 eraticn with the chutes. [The signaling devices Vare preferablyjarranged to coperate with all but one of the chutes. `Thus by- I properly designing the mechanism as hereinafter described, thedficulty above mentioned is overcome.'

The slot is made large-enoughto receive a twenty-five cent piece and obviously it.will

. empty one.

way as vthe United States nickel ive cent piece. `The lselecting mechanism is also arranged to direct a one cent piece into a chute which does not'have any signaling device cooperating therewith, so that the Y insertion of a one cent piece or penny will not operate the signaling device. The chutes preferably deliver all the coins into a receiving box. This box may-have a back or side locked` thereto and the boX itself is locked in position. By this arrangement, the coins may be removed by the inspector unlocking and removing Vthe box and then unlocking the back or side and taking the coins out, or the lock whichA holds the back or side in position maybe a lock which can not be opened by the inspector so that the inspector will remove the box and insert an The boX has a slot forrreceiving'the coins, which slot may be provided with any usual retaining device for preventing the coins fromrbeing shaken out of the boX.-

The slot into whichall the coins are inserted is` constructed as hereinafter described -so as ,to prevent iipping of the coins into the device and soas to prevent the introducing of one coin so close after another as to cause confusion in the signaling. The receiving mouth of the run-way is also constructed so that all the coins will pass down the runway under similar conditionsj By this arrangement, a very eicient device for theV purposes stated is provided.

One embodiment of the invention is shown 'in the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which, f

Figure` 1 is a front elevation ofthe com-- plete device. Fig.V 2 is a side elevation thereof.4 Fig. 3 is a rear elevation., Fig. 4 is a plan view of the coin receiving box. Fig.l 5 is a rear sectional elevation on an enlarged scale, the section being taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the run-way andswitching mechanism, the same being turned to stand in a vertical plane instead oi: in itsM normal inclined position. Fig. 6a is a section taken on the line a-6a of Fig. 6 illustrating the operation with a Canadian or with a silver five cent piece. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the chutes. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. '9 1sV a sectional elevation Ydetailed description thereof. The device is arranged in a suitable frame or shell A, which may be made out of plates bent and riveted together.' The back B of the frame is maderemovable so that the device can be inspected and the back maybe held tothe frame by suitable lugs andA a key. The back may be provided with an extension so that the device may be secured in place on the wall, or any other means for holding the device in an upright position can be em ployed. Y

kThe device is provided with a coin-receiv ing slot S. This slot can be arranged at any point but preferably Vis arranged in a dome lor cup 10 extending up from the top of the shell sothat the slot S will be arranged horizontally and the coin will have to be=in serted in the position shown Vin Fig. 11. The slot S is made just wide enough to receive a .twenty-ive cent piece. The slot'is made curved in shape, as shown in Fig. 5, and the dome 10 is provided with a' lip 10Q -which `projects downwardly so `that the coin will have to be tilted as it is inserted. This lmakes it necessary thatthe coins be inserted one at a time and prevents two coins being l inserted together or'closely after each other.

.s is provided with suitable feet by which it can be secured in position. The receiving mouth 11 of the run-way is made, flaring andS-shaped so that the coins will all strike on the point or edge 110 which will direct all the coins down into the run-way under practically the same conditions so that thecoinswill have about the same speed down the Vrun-way, no matter how quickly or slowly they are inserted into the slot S;

The bottom wall of the run-way is pro- 'i vided with three openings 12, 13, and 14 and these openings are guarded orV partly cov 'ered by switches or trap doors 15, 16, and 17.

Each ofthese switches is provided with bent ears 18 which it between bent ears 19 on the floor or 'bottom side of thevrun-way so that by employing pins or pintles 20 the switches will be pivoted. Each switch is provided with an arm 21 extending toward the runway or mouth 11, which arm is turned down at the edgenear the end and has a cam edge 22. These arms normally rest against the bottom or floor of the runway. As the cenf ter of gravity of each switch or trap door is to the right o f the pintles, as shown in Fig. 6, the switches will remain by gravity in the position shown so that they practically will form part of the bottom oriioor of the run-way. The arms of the three switches are arranged in diierent positions. The arm of the switch 15 is arranged so that a twenty-five cent Vpiece will engage the same and so that the other coins will clear-the same. The arm of the switch 16 is arranged so that a five cent piece will engage the same but a ten cent piece and a one cent piece will clear the same. The arm of the switch 17'is arranged so that a one cent piece will engage the same' but 'so that a ten Vcent piecewill clear the same.

v As a coin passes down the run-way and as it engages the cam face on an arm of a switch, the coin will lift the switch or trap door and the'particular coin engaging the arm will be directed out through the particular opening controlled by the'switch or trap door.` Thus a twentyfivercent lpiece will be directed down through the opening 12; a five cent piece will be directed down through the opening 13; a oneqcent piece will be directed down through Vthe opening.

14.; while a ten centpiece willpass through the entire run-way without engaging any of the varms of the switches or trap doors and will pass out of the mouth 23 at the end of the run-way.

The partition or wail inthe bottom of the run-waybetween the holes 12 and 13 is bent downward and has a Vdirecting ear 131, and the hole 13 is cut away so that an opening 130 is provided just'front of vthe switch or trap door'16. .This opening is ofa size so that a Canadian ora silver five cent piece will drop down through the same, as shown in Fig. 6a,v and will not slide down over-fthe face 'of the switch' or trap doork 16. The

body of the-precedingswitch ,15 or trap door is bent so astohave a directing ysurface 150V in line .with the. bent downportion of said partition so thatjthis bent down or depressed portion 150 of the 'switch liwilldirect the A 'Canadian or silver live. cent. pieces properly 1n line with the opening 130,` the depression to accommodate the Canadian or silver fiveA cent pieces thus commencing on' the front or leading edge of the1 trap door 15' and extendl...

l se

is such` that a Canadian or-silver five cent piece will drop at the same' point as the United States nickel tive cent piece and will operate the 'same signal.

The switches are provided with bosses 230 so as to prevent anycoin striking a pin or pintle 20 and thus cloggingrthe device. The run-way R may have ears punched and turned out of the same so as to leave oriices, as shown in Fig. 5, in the back of the run-way so that the switches or trap doors can be inspected when the back of the frame is removed. These ears also serve to protect the cams from, being deranged when the run-way is being constructed, handled and placed in position. Y

The run-way and the switches form se-V lecting device lfor selecting the different sized coins and differently directing the same and this selecting device is arranged to coperate with a plurality of chutes or passage-ways C. These chutes may be formed by two pieces of metal properly Vstamped and secured to aI centralV piece or plate and the chutes may be secured in position by suitable screws. Arranged under the opening 12 inthe run-way is. the chute or passage-way 24, which chute has a ,wide mouth or hopper 240, as shown in Fig. 8. Arrangedunder the opening 13 is a chute or passage-way 25 which has a wide mouth or receiving opening 250. This chute 25 is made curved in shape, as indicated in Fig. 5. Arranged under the opening 14 is a chute or passage-way 26 which has a wide mouth or hopper 260. Arranged in connection with the end or mouth of the run-way R- is a chute or passage-way 27 which leads into the end of the chute 25. The chute 24 which receives the twenty-five cent pieces from the opening 12 is made L-shapedfandv at its corner is cut away or openedout,`and arranged in position to coperate therewith is a gong G which will be struck by the twenty-five cent piece as it passes down the chute 24. The chute 24 merges with the chute 26 and the two chutes 24 and 26 have an outlet or mouth 2S.

It will be seen that the cent pieces or pennies which pass out from the Vopenings 14 in the run-way through the chute 26 will pass directly to the outlet 28 without lencountering or striking any signaling device.

The chute 27 for the ten cent pieces is made L-shaped and the same is cut away at its corner so that the ten cent piecepassing down the same will project through the cutaway portion and strike on the top of a bell H which is arranged to coperate therewith. The ten cent piece will then run into the chute 25 for the five cent pieces and this chute is arranged S0 that its outlet 29 will direct thevdescending coin on the inside of the said bell H. Thus the ten cent piece in its passage through the chute 27 and the chute 25 will strike the bell H twice with some little interval of time between the blows and thus the bell will be rung twice for a ten cent piece. A five cent piece will -merely pass down the chute 25 and will strike the bell H once. This operation will take place with a United States nickel five cent piece which is selected and directed downward by the switch 16 or by a Cana;- dian, or by a silver iive cent piece which will drop down through the opening 130. Therefore, all ve cent coins will be directed into the same chute 25. Thus a twenty-live cent piece will ring the gong G, a ten cent piece will ring the bell H twice, a ve cent piece will ring the bell H once, and a one cent piece will pass directly through the chutes without operating any of the signaling devices.` By this arrangement any coin put into the receiving slot S will only operate its proper signaling device.

The outlet 28 for the chutes 24 and 26 and the outlet `29 for the chute 25 are arranged side by side and just over a slot 30 in a removable boX D which is inserted in the bottom of the frame. The removable box is provided with a removable side or back-32 which is held in place by a lock 33. The removable boX D is held in position by a lock 34. When it is desired to remove the coins, the lock 34 is released so. that the removable boX D can be drawn out of the frame A and an empty box is inserted, or if the inspector is allowed to remove the coins, the lock 33 is operated by him so that the boX can be opened by removing or turning down the removable back or side 32 and the coins removed. 'Thus a very simple device for the purpose described is provided, as the same is made largely of sheet metal which can be 4cheaply manufactured in quantity by stamping and the same is easy and simple to manufacture.

While the device is particularly adapted for use in connection with telephones, of course the same may be put to other uses. While the device has been described for use in connection with a particular system of coins, it is obvious, of course, that by properly designing the parts, the same can be made to handle any system of coins, such as coins commonly employed in other countries.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the particular details of construction shown and described, but

What I do claim is 1. In a coin operated signaling device, the combination of a member having a slot for receiving different sized coins, a selecting `device for selecting and diierently directing coins of different sizes, a chute cooperating therewith having. two passag ways on one side and two passage-ways on the other side, which passage-ways lead to outlets side by side, one of said passageways being cut away,`a -gong arrangedl in connection with this cut-away portion, another of said passage-ways being cut away, a bell arranged to be struck by the coin lpassing down the same, this passageway communicating with the third passage-way which has its outlet arrangedV to h-aveV coins passing down the same strike the inside of the bell, and afourth passageway communicating with the iirst named passageway beyond the cutaway portion so that coins passing down the same will not ring either the gong or the bell.

2. In a coin operated signaling device,

-the combination of a member having a slot for receiving different sized coins, a selecting device for selecting and differently directing coins of different sizes, a plurality of chutes 24, 25, 26 and 27 cooperating therewith, a gong, the iirst chute 24 being cut away so that coins passing' down the same will ring the gong, a bell, the second chute 25 being arranged sof that coins passing down the same will strike the bell, the third chute 27 being arranged so that coins passing down the same will strike the bell and then pass into second chute 25 and again strike the bell, and the fourth chute 26 being connected to the iirst chute 24 beyond the gong so that coins passing down the ame will not strike either the gong or the ell.

3. In-a coin operated signaling device,

l i the combination of a member having a slot Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, i

'same path, four chutes `for receiving the for receiving twenty-five cent and smaller 4G- States ,and `Canadian five cent coinsin thedifferently directed coins, signaling'devices adapted to be struck by coins descending the chutes into which the twenty-live, ten and five cent pieces; are directed, and a chute in which `the one cent Ypieces are directed, which has no signaling device.

4. In a coin operated signal device, the

,combination of a casing having a slot at its upper end for receiving different sized i coins, a run-way positioned ,to receive the coins from said slothaving openings along its length for discharging the diiierent coins at diiierent points, two chutes 2 4 and 25 arranged adjacent to each othervand depending from diii'erent openings inthe runway, two additional Vchutes 26 and 27A arranged to receive coins from they remaining openings and to discharge them lrespecttively into the aforesaid chutes 24 and 25,1655

which latter chutes 24 and 25 have their discharge ends brought to a common point,`a signal for the chute A24, another signal common to the chutes 25 and 27, and a; coin receptacle positioned below the discharge '7b ends of said chutes 24 and 25, for thepurpose set forth. A

In testimony whereof I have .hereunto set my hand, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses. Y

Witnesses:

A. E. FAY, C. FoRREs'r Wasson.

Washington, D. C.

v"enojada HpDAvIs. 

